Power-Up Mahjong: Free Online 3 Player Mahjong
Three-player mahjong on a 3D table, against two tiger bots or friends in a room, with Swap, Shield and Double Draw power-ups. Points only, nothing to buy.
Quick facts
- Category
- 🧩 Puzzle
- Price
- Free, no download or sign-up
- Plays on
- Computer, phone and tablet
- Screen
- Landscape
- Provided by
- After School Play
- Added
About Power-Up Mahjong
Power-Up Mahjong is our own take on three-player mahjong, played on a 3D table in your browser. Sit down with two tiger bots, or open a room and send the code to up to two friends; any empty seat gets a bot. Tiger paws reach across the felt to draw, discard and fire the power-ups. You build sets from Bamboo, Dots and the three dragons and race to complete your hand first. There is no download and nothing to buy: every match is scored in plain points, and the player with the most after four rounds wins.
What makes it different is the three power-ups. Swap lets you hand an opponent a tile you do not want and take a random one from their hand. Shield is hidden protection that bounces the next Swap aimed at you, and everyone sees the bounce. Double Draw turns your next draw into a choice of two tiles, so you keep the one you need and discard the other. Each round gives you one of each, you can use one per turn, and the bots use theirs too, so a safe-looking hand can change in a moment.
The rules are simple to pick up. There are no chows, only pongs, kongs and runs you draw yourself, plus seven pairs for the patient. A Basic hand can only be won by self-draw, while bigger hands such as All Pongs, Pure Suit or the Middle Five can take an opponent's discard. When you are one tile away you can Reveal, which locks your hand and doubles the win. Kongs pay instant points, and if the wall runs out, players who are not ready pay the ones who are.
Each turn has a 15-second clock, and if it runs out the game discards for you, so rounds take a few minutes and a game with friends never stalls. Hints nudge you to try each power-up. It runs with mouse or touch on a computer, tablet or phone, held either way: on a tall phone your hand moves into two rows. If you would rather train the reading skill on its own, try Which Tile Wins?, our stand-alone mahjong puzzle game: each level shows a hand that is one tile from winning, and you have to pick every tile that completes it, with stars for a clean first try.
If you like mahjong solitaire but have never tried the real table game, this is a friendly place to start.
Want more? Browse Puzzle games.
How to Play
- Pick Solo to play two tiger bots, or Play with friends to create a room and share its code. Your 13 tiles stand along the near edge of the table; on your turn you draw one and tap a tile to discard it before the 15-second clock runs out.
- Build four sets (three of a kind, four of a kind or a run of three) plus a pair, or seven pairs, using Bamboo, Dots and the dragons. The whole rule fits one formula: m x AAA + n x ABC + DD with m + n = 4, or 7 x DD.
- When an opponent discards a tile you can use, buttons appear: Pong, Kong, Win or Pass.
- Use a power-up on your turn: Swap to trade a tile with an opponent, Shield to block a Swap, Double Draw to choose between two tiles on your next draw.
- When you are one tile from winning, tap Reveal to lock your hand and double the win.
- Play four rounds. Points are added up and the highest total wins the match.
- In a room, tap Start the game once your friends have joined. Empty seats are filled by tiger bots, and a bot also covers for anyone who leaves.
Tips
- Keep your 5 Bamboo and 5 Dots a little longer: winning on a 5 that fills a 4-_-6 gap is the Middle Five and doubles your hand.
- A Basic hand only wins by self-draw, so aim for a pong-heavy or single-suit hand if you want to claim discards.
- Shield early in the round if your hand looks strong; bots like to Swap in the first few turns.
- Use Double Draw when you are two tiles away, not when you are already ready.
- Reveal doubles your win, but it also locks your hand and lets bots win a Basic hand off you, so do it when your wait is wide.
FAQ
- Is Power-Up Mahjong free?
- Yes. It is free to play in any modern browser, with no download and no sign-up.
- Is there anything to buy or bet?
- No. Scores are plain points, power-ups are handed out each round and there is no currency of any kind.
- Can I play it on a phone?
- Yes. It works with touch and fits the 3D table to your screen either way up. On a tall phone your hand moves into two rows so the tiles stay big enough to tap.
- Is it the same as mahjong solitaire?
- No. Mahjong solitaire is a tile-matching puzzle. This is the real table game, played against two bots or friends, with power-ups added.
- Can I play with friends?
- Yes. Choose Play with friends, create a room and send the code or invite link. Up to three people share a table, empty seats get a tiger bot, and the 15-second turn clock keeps everyone moving.
- Does my progress save?
- Matches played, wins and your best hand are saved in your browser.
